Rapid technological advances in recent times have resulted in a workforce that is increasingly specialized. For example, to handle the myriad of available programming languages and software applications, software programmers must generally develop particular areas of expertise to become proficient in a given field. Specialization is not limited, however, to software developers but impacts virtually every industry to at least some degree. The expansion of the geographical reach of commercial transactions, through the availability of faster and cheaper transportation and communication systems, has contributed to the ability to economically support technological specialization by allowing businesses to obtain resources, including staffing resources, from a much larger collection of potential sources and to provide products and services to a much larger pool of potential consumers.
Simply being able to locate and obtain resources, however, does not ensure success in a business enterprise. To remain competitive, businesses must continually find ways to more efficiently locate and deploy resources so as to reduce costs and maximize revenue. With regard to an enterprise's workforce, for example, certain costs are associated with hiring, training, and reducing staff. Finding ways to minimize these costs (e.g., through maintaining relative continuity in the workforce) can increase efficiency. Costs are also frequently associated with geographically redeploying staff. Such redeployments are often necessary to meet demand, especially in the service and consulting industries, but minimizing these costs can contribute to profitability. On the other hand, mere cost reductions are not the only relevant consideration. In some cases, deploying resources in a particular manner that minimizes current costs might tie up resources that could generate more revenue if they were deployed differently. As a result, determining how to efficiently deploy resources is often a complex task that requires consideration of a number of different factors.